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VIFF Industry Conference: Totally Indie Day

A standing-room only event for the past 9 years, Totally Indie Day is a series of sessions designed for (but not limited to) emerging writers, directors, and producers of film, television, and digital media. All sessions take place at the Rogers Industry Centre located at Vancity Theatre. Session topics include crowdfunding, crossing over from indie to studio, genre writing, a presentation with award-winning documentary filmmaker, Ondi Timoner and TV directing essentials.

Ondi Timoner, creator of A Total Disruption

Ondi Timoner – A Total Disruption:
Writer and producer of the documentaries DIG!, WE LIVE IN PUBLIC, and JOIN US and creator of A TOTAL DISRUPTION, an online network documenting today’s top disruptive content creators, Ondi Timoner will present three short films that have emerged from a series on A Total Disruption called Chief Executive Artist: AMANDA F***KING PALMER ON THE ROCKS (about musician Amanda Palmer), OBEY THE ARTIST (featuring renowned graphic artist Shepard Fairey), and RUSSELL BRANDS THE BIRD (focusing on Brand’s trip to Twitter HQ). Following the screenings, Ondi will discuss how artists and innovators use technology to redefine the rules of engagement – transforming their ability to create, monetize, and distribute their work. Tickets.

Jay Duplass, director of Jeff, Who Lives at Home

Jay Duplass- Crossing Over: From Indie to Studio
Indie filmmaking embraces low budget production, improvisation, and the director’s vision as a norm, but what happens when the filmmaker finally breaks into the studio system? Indie darling, Jay Duplass (JEFF, WHO LIVES AT HOME, CYRUS,THE PUFFY CHAIR), discusses the transition from the indie setting to studio – how the filmmaking process is affected and the potential challenges of working with bigger budgets, bigger names, new audiences and studio execs without losing the indie creative edge. The session will be moderated by Scott Smith, director of the TV shows CALL ME FITZ, COLD SQUAD, andSKINS. Tickets.

Nicole Perlman & Simon Davis Barry- Genre Smash!
Action films throttle the hero against incredible physical feats. Dramas center on the realistic, in-depth development of a character. The science fiction picture examines the effect of imagined scientific/technological innovations in a futuristic world. Today, film genres have expanded into sub-genres and hybrid genres, melding elements in new, compelling, and sometimes strange ways. This writer’s panel will feature Nicole Perlman, screenwriter of GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY, Simon Davis Barry, creator of CONTINUUM, and Sarah Dodd, co-executive producer of MOTIVE, as they focus on the process; how to successfully straddle genres; how to understand audience expectations and how to shake them up to create in-demand and celebrated fiction. Tickets.

TV Directing Essentials
Television production is booming and some of the most provocative and critically-acclaimed stories are happening on TV. Filmmakers are being lured to the small screen with the promise of more creative control and the ability to bring more cinema into TV. This panel session will feature directors Anthony Hemingway, SHAMELESS, Scott Smith, CALL ME FITZ, Lynne Stopkewich, ROOKIE BLUE, and Jason Bourque, BLACK FLY, discussing the essentials of TV directing, including how to approach episodic content, creative dynamics, and what every TV director should have in their toolkit. The session will be moderated by Gary Harvey, director and executive producer of ARCTIC AIR. Tickets.

From left to right: Scott Smith, Lynne Stopkewich, Jason Bourque, and Gary Harvey

Emily Best (Seed&Spark Workshop): Crowdfunding to Build an Audience
The only proven path to true independence as an artist is a direct connection to your audience. Crowdfunding is becoming a fundamental piece of most financing plans for independent film. However, many filmmakers miss the opportunity to turn their film funding campaigns into audience-building opportunities that can last an entire career. Seed&Spark is investing in the future of independence for independent film by offering a comprehensive Crowdfunding to Build Independence seminar. This class for film-related projects will provide the crowdfunding action plan most likely to create a lasting, flourishing, direct relationship with audiences. Tickets.